IT BLOSSOMS, hatori sohma [Fruits Basket]

Chapter Fifty

Tohru's words suddenly stumbled, as she slid open the front door to find the currently possessed Ryu standing before them.

"Ry—...uhm Dragon?"

"Hoho, you can call me Dragon, young Tohru~" Dragon chimed in, her voice tinted with a playful tease that caused Tohru to fluster.

Prior to this transformation, both Kazuma and Kyo had fervently implored Tohru to prevent any encounters with Dragon, uncertain of the potential repercussions.

It was becoming apparent that the males had requested the impossible from Tohru, as Dragon's mischievous nature enabled her to easily slip through their grasp.

"Judging from the looks on your faces, I assume Sensei and Kyo may have asked too much of you," Dragon sighed, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, they underestimate the impossible. I refuse to just sit around and let summer pass without having some fun."

Tohru, in an attempt to stop Dragon, had instinctively tried to block her path. However, her body seemed to wilt in defeat as she realized that there was no strength in her to stand in the female's way.

Dragon effortlessly skipped past Tohru and entered the home with an air of confidence.

"Now, where's that feisty little mutt?" Dragon mused to herself, her hand covering her mouth with a sly smile. She glanced around the home, searching for the curtain cursed canine figure.

Tohru swiftly regained her bearings after succumbing to a brief moment of defeat, springing into action at the sound of the slammed sliding door. She hurried to investigate, only to come to a halt as she found Dragon standing proudly in front of the opened room, her hands resting firmly on her hips.

Startled, Shigure's words faltered, a mix of confusion evident in his voice. "Ry—Ryu?" he started, only to abruptly cut himself off as he noticed the woman's eye color, a realization dawning upon him.

"You're not Ryu..." he finished, his tone now tinged with understanding and shock.

"Impressive!" Dragon exclaimed as she slowly clapped, her voice filled with amusement. "Who would have thought you'd figure it out so quickly!"

She clutched her stomach, trying to suppress a burst of laughter. " I guess mutts truly have a sharp intuition for things," she cackled, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

Shigure's expression darkened upon hearing the word 'mutt' coming from 'Ryu's' lips. It was undoubtedly an act that he could never picture the real Ryu doing, and the fact that he had to hear it in her voice still bothered him deeply.

Dragon's smirk widened as she stepped further into the room. Before proceeding, she turned towards the teen standing at the living room door.

"Don't worry," she said, her tone casual. "It's just a harmless conversation between adults. So, please kindly provide us with some privacy, would you?"